The rumors swirled throughout fight week that middleweight title challenger Canelo Alvarez was struggling to get down to the agreed-upon catchweight limit of 155 pounds for his bout with lineal champ Miguel Cotto. When Alvarez stripped down to his underwear and stepped on the scale Friday afternoon in the Islander Ballroom at Mandalay Bay, he rendered the rumors reasonably moot, making the limit exactly and not looking especially drained or uncomfortable. With Cotto, meanwhile, there was never a doubt. He actually tipped the scales a half-pound below the junior middleweight division limit, weighing 153½.

More interesting than the numbers on the scale was the response of the fans in the jam-packed room—or should we say rooms, as passion for the Cotto-Canelo fight resulted in spillover to additional ballrooms for those wishing to watch the weigh-in. Though the global popularity levels of Cotto and Alvarez would seem to be comparable, among the fans at the weigh-in there was no doubt: Canelo is the crowd favorite. Certainly geography has a little something to do with it, as Las Vegas better accommodates Mexican fight fans than it does Puerto Rican ones. Whatever the case, Alvarez was greeted with deafening cheers, while boos rained down whenever Cotto’s stoic face appeared on the jumbo screens behind the stage.

Perhaps the rooting interests inside the arena on Saturday night will be more balanced, or perhaps this is going to be a heavily pro-Canelo atmosphere. Either way, it will be the fighters, not the fans, who determine which man exits the ring as the middleweight champion.

"In a Hall of Fame career, Timothy Bradley brought out the truth in the ring from his opponents and himself for all fans of sport. Tim is a family man and role model with a big heart -- and no one who saw Tim Bradley fight could refute he has one of the biggest hearts among those who compete between the ropes. From his 'Fight of the Year' clash with Ruslan Provodnikov to his other career-defining victories over the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao, we are proud to have been linked to his legacy. We wish Tim well in the next chapter of his life." - Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports

Celebrate the legacy of @klitschko_official with a look back at his career Greatest Hits.

"Wladimir Klitschko earned his right into the Hall of Fame years ago. His accomplishments in the ring will be immortalized in the record books. Outside the ring, Wladimir is well-respected as a true ambassador to boxing and role model in sport, contributing vastly philanthropically as a leader of community activism and with a profound commitment to improving the lives of children worldwide. We are proud Wladimir and his team have been in the HBO Sports family for the majority of his 21-year career. We are excited for him and his family as he begins his next chapter." - Peter Nelson, Executive Vice President, HBO Sports

Time to go to work. @Canelo putting in gym time in San Diego ahead of his middleweight megafight vs. @GGGBoxing Sept. 16 on @HBO PPV. #CaneloGGG
📸 @muls96

All about the preparation. @gggboxing trains in Big Bear for his Sept. 16 showdown with @canelo on @HBO PPV. #CaneloGGG 📸 @muls96